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"We will never tolerate North Korea's continued provocations that ignore repeated warnings by the international community," Mr Abe told reporters.

"As agreed during the G7 summit, the North Korean problem is the international community's top priority. In order to deter North Korea, we will take concrete action with the United States," he said.

In Washington, a National Security Council spokesman said Trump had been briefed on the launch.

South Korea's new president, Moon Jae In, ordered a meeting of the national security council to assess the launch, which came a day after North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un had overseen a test of a new anti-aircraft weapons system.

ICBM GOAL

The isolated regime has been stepping up efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental United States.

The missile launches, and Pyongyang's threat to stage its sixth nuclear test, have prompted calls for tougher UN sanctions and a warning from Trump that military intervention was an option under consideration.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday's missile had a flight range of about 450km.

Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters the missile appeared to have fallen into the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - waters extending 200 nautical miles from its coast.

The regime has carried out two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of last year, with multiple sets of UN sanctions failing to halt its weapons push.

Following North Korea's test-firing of what analysts said was its longest-range rocket yet earlier this month, the UN Security Council vowed to push all countries to tighten sanctions against Pyongyang.

But China, the North's main trade partner and ally, has made it clear that the push for diplomatic talks - not imposing more sanctions - was the priority.

The United States has said it is willing to enter into talks with North Korea - but only if it halts its missile and nuclear tests.

Kim Jong Un has sought to ramp up North Korea's nuclear programme under his rule, saying the regime needs atomic weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion.

The UN Security Council adopted two sanctions resolutions last year to pile pressure on Pyongyang and deny the regime the hard currency needed to fund its military programmes.

In all, six sets of sanctions have been imposed on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006.